12
media and he emails
them too.”
After making it through
the past year, Elise said the
family is looking forward
to just dealing with the
challenges of their recent
posting to Queensland.
The three eldest kids
had lived in the same place
since they started school,
so their recent move
interstate has meant big
changes for them.
“It’s been a struggle for
Bella, Sam and Maddi to find
new friends and settle in,”
admits Elise.
“The schools are a lot
bigger and they didn’t
know anyone at all, but
they have met a few other
Defence kids.”
They were all involved
in sport in Wodonga, so
they’ve made a few friends
that way too.
“Bella has continued with
dancing here and Sam has
joined a local tennis club.
“Maddi used to play
netball, but a new friend
invited her to play soccer
with her team. She’s quite
shy, so that’s been good for
her and has encouraged her
to try something new.
“The move has been
hard, but we’re all together
and the experience will
make the kids stronger in
the long run.” n
to be with newborn babies,
Charli and Peyton. She left
the three older children in the
care of her parents, who had
returned early from an
overseas trip to support her.
Meanwhile, Elise’s friends
kept Wayne up-to-date with
what was happening. Wayne
was given the opportunity to
return from deployment but
they decided his leave would
be better used when the
twins came home from
hospital.
The babies were ten
weeks old when Wayne met
them for the first time when
he came home for two weeks
before deploying again.
Luckily, the family is now
very experienced at
managing time apart. Each
time Wayne prepares for
deployment, they try to
approach it as a family.
“Once a deployment or
posting is confirmed, we talk
about it with the kids, but
they never get used to it,”
said Elise.
“His last deployment
was six weeks. We’d just
been through one of six
months, so I pointed out to
the kids that six weeks would
be over before we knew it.”
When Wayne is away,
Elise tries to stick to a
routine.
“Family and friends are
always around to help but
sometimes I find it easier
when it’s just us,” Elise said.
“When our routine goes
out the window, so does the
kids’ behaviour!
“People ask how I cope
but, as a parent, you just do.
“Luckily, these babies are
so easygoing. The other kids
weren’t difficult, but life
doesn’t stop so Charli and
Peyton are used to coming
everywhere with us.”
During deployments the
family keeps in touch using
social media and good
old-fashioned phone calls.
“Wayne calls the kids
and they talk a lot. He sends
them messages on social
“IT WOULD
NOT BE
SUMMERTIME
WITHOUT
BULWARRA!”
“WHEN OUR ROUTINE
GOES OUT THE WINDOW,
SO DOES THE KIDS’
BEHAVIOUR!”
EMERGENCY AND
CRISIS SUPPORT
PRACTICAL ASSISTANCE
IS AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES
FACING A CRISIS WHEN
AN ADF MEMBER IS
ABSENT FROM HOME FOR
SERVICE REASONS.
IN OTHER TIMES OF NEED,
FAMILIES CAN ACCESS
24-HOUR SUPPORT, SOCIAL
WORK AND ASSESSMENT,
OR REFERRAL FROM THE
ALL-HOURS DEFENCE
FAMILY HELPLINE ON
DEFENCEFAMILYHELPLINE@
DEFENCE.GOV.AU OR
1800 624 608.
The family loved Wodonga, but their recent move to the Gold Coast has opened up a
range of opportunites and experiences. Photo by Catherine Lowe.
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